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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Ray Cole calls Morocco jail experience 'a total nightmare' | Ray Cole calls Morocco jail experience 'a total nightmare' |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| A British man released after being jailed for "homosexual acts" in Morocco described the experience as a "total nightmare" on his return to the UK. | A British man released after being jailed for "homosexual acts" in Morocco described the experience as a "total nightmare" on his return to the UK. |
| Ray Cole, from Kent, flew back into Gatwick Airport after spending 20 days in jail in Marrakesh. | Ray Cole, from Kent, flew back into Gatwick Airport after spending 20 days in jail in Marrakesh. |
| Mr Cole, 69, said: "I've seen things I never knew existed. It's not a prison, it's a concentration camp." | |
| He was detained, along with his friend Jamal Jam Wald Nass, when police found "homosexual images" on his phone. | He was detained, along with his friend Jamal Jam Wald Nass, when police found "homosexual images" on his phone. |
| Foreign Office guidelines state that homosexuality is a crime in Morocco. | Foreign Office guidelines state that homosexuality is a crime in Morocco. |
| Speaking to reporters at Gatwick, Mr Cole, who turns 70 on 25 October, said he initially thought he was being transferred to another jail, when prison staff talked to him. | Speaking to reporters at Gatwick, Mr Cole, who turns 70 on 25 October, said he initially thought he was being transferred to another jail, when prison staff talked to him. |
| 'Horrendous conditions' | 'Horrendous conditions' |
| "But then they said they were sending me home," said Mr Cole, from Deal. | "But then they said they were sending me home," said Mr Cole, from Deal. |
| "And they offered me the choice of spending the night in Marrakesh or getting the next flight [home]." | "And they offered me the choice of spending the night in Marrakesh or getting the next flight [home]." |
| He said prison conditions were "horrendous", with inmates as young as 10 and as old as 90 being held "for nothing". | He said prison conditions were "horrendous", with inmates as young as 10 and as old as 90 being held "for nothing". |
| "I can hardly move my arm now, from 20 nights sleeping on the floor - I just want to go home and sleep in a soft bed," he said. | "I can hardly move my arm now, from 20 nights sleeping on the floor - I just want to go home and sleep in a soft bed," he said. |
| He had no idea about the campaigning for his release carried out by his family, who said they were "ecstatic" about his return. | He had no idea about the campaigning for his release carried out by his family, who said they were "ecstatic" about his return. |
| "I'm so proud of them - I couldn't have a better family," Mr Cole added. | "I'm so proud of them - I couldn't have a better family," Mr Cole added. |
| He said the attitudes to homosexuality in Morocco "are about 100 years out of date". | He said the attitudes to homosexuality in Morocco "are about 100 years out of date". |
| 'No sex tourist' | 'No sex tourist' |
| "One guy who I chatted with suggested I could possibly take tablets and it would be all right," he explained. | "One guy who I chatted with suggested I could possibly take tablets and it would be all right," he explained. |
| Mr Cole was unsure what had happened to 20-year-old Mr Nass, though he suspected he was still being held in prison. | Mr Cole was unsure what had happened to 20-year-old Mr Nass, though he suspected he was still being held in prison. |
| "But I think the judge might have to release him too," he said. | "But I think the judge might have to release him too," he said. |
| "I'm terribly sorry about him - I want to do anything I can [to help him]. | |
| "They seemed to think that I was some kind of sex tourist, but I'm not and I wasn't - and I won't leave this, I can't." | "They seemed to think that I was some kind of sex tourist, but I'm not and I wasn't - and I won't leave this, I can't." |
| His son Adrian added they would be consulting their legal team later, to discuss how they could help Mr Nass. | His son Adrian added they would be consulting their legal team later, to discuss how they could help Mr Nass. |